Is it possible to be a single mom and homeschool?

Question

I have two children, ages four and six, and am interested in learning about homeschooling. I also am divorced, so I do have to work, but am currently spending an average of $900 a month on childcare, which eats up the vast majority of my earnings to begin with. I was considering looking into a homeschooling co-op, and was wondering if anyone knows of a success story for a single mom homeschooling and either working from home part-time or having a part-time job, either with or without a co-op.

Answer 1

**Edited to add** Ignore "BBQ Sports" - this is just a troll looking for a reaction.  Look at the profile - it's brand new.  This forum attracts a TON of trolls.

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You can absolutely do this!  I personally know two local women who are single and HS.

I think you might be misled about a HS'ing co-op, though.  Most co-ops only meet for a few hours once a week.  It's not an all-day, all-week sort of thing.  That would be too much like a school ;-).  However, even a co-op like that would work for you b/c it would be a few hours you could dedicate to work (at home or not).  With most co-ops, though, you do have to volunteer in some way, or pay a volunteer "buyout" fee.

Since your kids are young, for a few years, HS work won't take very much time out of your day.  Perhaps around 2 hrs/day.  You can also school year-round, or do work in the evenings or weekends.  If the kids' father is on board, perhaps when they're with him, he could also teach something like science.

You could perhaps find another local HS'ing family to watch/teach your kids while you're at work.  Or you could do  a schedule where you work Mon-Wed, have them in daycare, then do school Thurs-Sat, etc.  There are all sorts of ways to do it.  "School" does not have to be 8am-3pm, Mon-Fri.

I would jump on Yahoo Groups and do a search for "working HS moms", or something similar.  I'm sure there's several groups out there who have members with great tips!  :-)

Answer 2

My mother homeschooled us when she was working Full-time as a respiratory therapist at Childrens hospital in Minneapolis, MN.    She had respiratory conditions herself the entire time that she was homeschooling us, and working as a therapist..  and ended up passing away after years of struggling with the idiopathic pulmonary disease she had.  

But the point is, you CAN homeschool your children, even if you have terrible odds against you. My mother had a terrible condition that you could do nothing about... Just could be on oxygen 24/7, and take care of the rest of her health as her lungs were failing on her..  AND worked Full time in a stressful environment with dying children every night..

She had help with my grandma every once in a while- she would babysit us while we did our schoolwork on days where my mom worked overnights, (Not all the time, as my older brother was old enough to take care of all of us kids while my mom slept..) and had to sleep during the day.  

BUT, that co-op idea that you are looking into is a great thing to think about...  If not that, just hire a babysitter to take care of your children while you are at work, and she doesn't really need to do anything with their schoolwork, other than just be sure they get done what you want them to while you're at work...   And then you can correct and talk about what they did when you get home!    

Another option would to work part time- and only have your children go to a public school on the hours you work..

So if you wanted, you could get your kids out to school in the morning,  go to work for a few hours, and then pick your kids up after the classes that you decide that they take at the public school..  Then you could avoid the babysitting fees all together, and you can still teach at home... just half the classes!  

You really have the freedom to do whatever you would like to do with homeschooling, and I would highly recommend you doing so. =)  

Good luck to you and your children!!

Answer 3

I am a single mom and I have homeschooled my son, Patrick for the past 2 1/2 years.

I would say that it is very possible.  With homeschooling, your schedule is flexible, you can work and homeschool your children at an alternative time of the day that fits your needs, and theirs.

There is no where that states that you have to homeschool during 'traditional' school hours.  You can do it when you like.

I know of another homeschooling, single mom of three, she works at home providing daycare for other families during the day (sometimes in the evening/overnight) and she homeschools the other children right along with her own.  When the other children leave, then she has more time to spend, reading in bed all night if she wants.  

My son and I homeschool throughout the day, in a really unfixed (more like unschooling) schedule right now.  I noticed that he was more inquisitive in the evening about topics that arose for him during the day.  Those are refered to as "teachable moments" in homeschooling circles...which you grab them 'whenever' they come about for the child.  These are the times when they are really keen on a certain topic and will tend to retain the information because it was something they were looking for answers to.

It is not easy to homeschool, but it is only as difficult as you allow it to be.  What I mean is, there are moments that you may question your sanity as a single mom, trying to make the bills, educate and maintain peace in the home; IT IS WORTH IT!  In the end, you will be glad you did it.  So will your children.  The time we get with them is so short.

One closing thought.  I spent the better part of the first two years of homeschooling, trying to defend my right to homeschool my child, to relatives that just were so opposed.

One day I prayed. I just couldn't understand why I was being abundantly blessed with resources, books, new friends and families that homeschooled, opportunities that I had to share with my son- that I would have just not had if he was in school.

Because I was spending so much time defending homeschooling, we weren't relaxed and there was tension mounting in our household.  I prayed.  You know what I 'got' out of my time with God.  Show them.  Don't try and convince them.

Show them by the results of homeschooling instead of trying to convince them what 'can' become of homeschooling.  In the end, they will see the great results and won't be able to argue with them.  There is no arguement if I choose to walk away. (which, 3-4 weeks ago, I walked away from my dad's sister for getting uptight about homeschooling).  It was then, that I had prayed and 'got' the answer I described to you.  I then approached my dad, who had seen his wife (not my mom), and his sister, trash me and homeschooling (his wife had the audacity to say that I was "ruining Patrick's life" - right in front of Patrick! *this is supposed to be his grandmother!*

I approached my dad, told him that I had gone in prayer to God about it, reminded him of the many blessings God has given to us since I took the 'leap of faith' to homeschool, and told him, in NO uncertain terms that I was going to homeschool MY son. That I was NOT going to defend it any more to him, or anyone. AND that he can see the results and stop trying to interfere with it.

IN ALL HONESTY: Do you think that God would have someone homeschool, as the majority of homeschooling families tend to be Christian (or for religious reasons), and not have them be adequately blessed for their faith in Him? No.

Co-operative education within a homeschooling group is a great idea.  We have participated in that, and it gives Patrick the opportunity to learn things that other parents excellerate at (one mom was into studying Chinese and the culture, language, etc. so she taught a co-op (which is about 1 hour a week for 7 weeks)to a group of eager students.)

I taught baking to a group of kids that wanted to learn more about baking and have some fun at the same time.  We tried about 4-5 new recipes and they each got a 'cook book' with all the recipes from class, (they loved it!)

FIND a GROUP!! The support is great and you make friends.  Swap kids for a day.  Teach together, take 'class trips' together...lots of places give discounts to groups for admissions and some even regard homeschooling parents as 'teaching' or 'teachers' so we education/school discounts for things.

Please feel free to email me if you like.  I recently started a website for work at home parents (W@HPOS) and I invite any parent that works at home to join our support group, advertise, and communicate, make friends, etc.  Today I was invited to write for the Homeschooling Horizons an article or an essay, (they have to give me more details yet) because one of the people that works at the magazine saw my new support group and liked the concept so much! (I was truly honored and just can't wait to get started writing!!)

Blessings, and email me any time if you want to 'talk' some more about homeschooling/single parenting, etc.

Tracy,

Homeschooler, of One!

Answer 4

Co-ops may be one way to do it.

I'm a single mom.  I have a part-time online job and a full-time weekend job, so I'm home M-F.  My kids' dad takes them on the weekends.

If your kids' dad isn't in the picture, that makes it tougher.  Is your job flexible enough to possibly have family or friends watch your kids while you work?

Answer 5

There are several yahoo groups that are for single homeschoolers, so I'm sure it can be done, I know on my unschooling group there are many single moms (and dads) who are homeschooling full time. If you didn't have to spend $900 a month, I'm sure that you could cut your hours back a lot.

The great thing about homeschooling is that it is very flexible, you can do it when you have time. SO if you work certain hours, those are play hours for the kids, and you do homeschool in other hours. IT's great that you are starting now, because they are so young and there really is very little need to do table work.

Even better, as a single mom, who needs to work, homeschooling is a great way to spend additional time with your kids, time that would be eaten by daycare, schoolwork, PTA stuff, etc, as they get older.

In our small local group, there is a single mom. She did on-site training as a medical transcriptionist, and so she can work while her two little ones (5yo and 1yo) are playing or sleeping. She can transcribe late at night or in the morning, or just work on it half an hour at a time. We also will keep her boys for an afternoon every week or so so that she can get caught up. Her parents watch the boys some (they were just so thankful she was out of the abusive marriage that they'll do about anything to support her now)

Honestly, look at yahoo groups, because you'll get better advice from people who are doing it, rather than a bunch of yahoos here ;-) I wish you the best...we do unschooling rather than traditional homeschooling, and it's been the best way to spend time with my kids.

Answer 6

Gosh, I don't think so.   Being a single working mother is a hard enough job as it is.   My kids are older and it is not working out at all.   In theory, older kids could work independently and the mom checks the work and helps out when she comes home from work, but I'll tell you it doesn't happen.   There are only so many hours in a day and there is still laundry, cooking, cleaning, bathing and just plain exhaustion to deal with.      I suppose if you had a grandmother type to help, (I never expected my sitters to help with school) or if you started a day care center in your own home you could do it.   But working all day, picking up the kids from day care, doing all the housework and starting school is burn-out city.     I tried, and ended up sending one kid to school and I sure want to send the other one as well.

         Good luck.   Homeschooling is a real commitment, you need a fresh, rested brain to do it.    Sorry, I wish I could tell you it works for me, but it sure doesn't.    There is a good reason to send your kids to public school.  It's called free day care.   Isn't that awful?

Answer 7

You can do it.  We had a friend who homeschooled her middle schooler while she worked full-time.  He was a part of our co-op and spent his days with various members of the group.  I know another homeschool mom who cleaned houses so she could be home with her kids.  In fact, I know more than one who did this very thing.  So, it is possible.  Plug yourself in to a homeschooling group now, so that you will learn what homeschooling is like and can have some of your questions answered before you actually start to school.  You'll also be able to see if you "fit" with this group before you commit to them.  There are LOTS of different groups and philosophies out there and finding a good fit is extremely helpful.

good luck!

Answer 8

Some can. Some can't. The single moms I know of that are successful homeschoolers have a support network of friends, family and other homeschool families. If the children's' father is living and nearby, there is no reason why he, his family and even his new partner (if he has one) cannot help you teach the kids. If you do decide to HS enlist help and get those people on board. If they refuse, then turn to support groups, tutors and co-ops.

Answer 9

You can definitely do it!  Here's some info for you:

http://singleparenthomeschool.christianh...

Good luck!

Answer 10

Yes.

Answer 11

I had a friend whose my mom was single and she homeschooled her 2 daughters for many years.

Answer 12

Yes you can be a single mom and home school.  I worked the midnight shift and home schooled my son.  It brought our family much closer, and while it was difficult at times I would do it again.